Alliance councillor Nuala McAllister said she had contacted Belfast City Council, who run the zoo, about a conducting a review.

“I have contacted Belfast City Council to ask for an urgent review into the containment of animals, with a particular focus on safety measures after extreme bad weather conditions, as we saw at the weekend and which helped create conditions for this escape,” she commented.

“The council has a duty of care around the welfare of animals at the zoo, but we also need to ensure the safety at all times of the public.”